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Today's a weird day for Xbox Game Pass, because even though two games are technically arriving on the service in some ways, we also think it's a stretch to call either of these brand-new XGP releases.
In the case of Palworld, that game's been on Xbox Game Pass since all the way back in January of 2024, but today marks its official 1.0 release. It's received its biggest update of all time as a result, containing so many new features that we could never list them all here. There are new and revamped areas and worlds, a major rework of main missions and story flow, 72 new Pals, massive changes to combat, improved bosses, new equipment, and so much more.
All of these additions add up to a significantly overhauled game compared to the early access version, so it sounds well worth a download if you have any interest whatsoever!
The full patch notes for Palworld 1.0 are available on Steam if you're keen, and here's a brief explainer for them:
"Sunreach, a mysterious new island floating in the sky…The World Tree, the heart of the Palworld story…Palpagos has grown, and a new adventure awaits. Palworld 1.0 adds 72 new Pals to the world, bringing the total number of Pals up to an incredible 287! Palworld 1.0 also adds new ways to strengthen your Pals through Awakening and Mutation, rebalanced stats and abilities for all Pals, and large-scale overhauls across many aspects of the game, including base building, multiplayer, and graphics. The journey that began in Early Access reaches its climax, and from here, a new Palworld begins."
The second game to mention here is Wuthering Waves, which has released as a free-to-play title on Xbox today following its extremely popular launches on other platforms over the past couple of years.
You'll see this one popping up in the "New Games" section of Xbox Game Pass, and that's because it's adding various Xbox Game Pass Perks that you can claim right now. If you log into Wuthering Waves as an XGP subscriber, you should immediately receive an exclusive Sigil, as well as a bunch of other bonuses.
"Xbox Game Pass subscribers need to log in after each version update to unlock special in-game rewards, including: Morphable Echo *2, Premium Tuner *10 and Shell Credit *30000. Plus, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will receive the Xbox exclusive Sigil *Paths and Possibilities* as a one time reward."
Certainly an unusual day for Xbox Game Pass, then, but we thought we'd let you know about these new additions and releases all the same! You can check out more details on both games below.
Palworld 1.0 (Console, PC, Cloud) - Now Available With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC
Fight, farm, build and work alongside mysterious creatures called "Pals" in this multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game!
Wuthering Waves (Series X|S, PC, Cloud) - Perks For Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, Essential, PC
Wuthering Waves is a story-rich open-world action RPG with a high degree of freedom. You wake from your slumber as Rover, joined by a vibrant cast of Resonators on a journey to reclaim your lost memories and change the world.